FaceBook, Kids, & Big Brother

We recently had an event on FB.
Monday, a week ago, my son's junior high school called saying he would be placed in AC (In School Suspension)indefinately. (They do not do school work..they write lines all day, stopping only for lunch.)

It seems that my son and this girl were picking on each other (playing) on FB. My son made the comment that he'll be glad when she dies. (Don't freak just yet like I did.)
It seems they were playing an online game together while talking on FB. He wanted her character to die so he didn't get beat by a girl.

What does that have to do with school, I asked. It seems that FB and the schools have teamed up to enforce the anti bullying policy. I thought it was absurd...at first. The next morning on FoxNews came a story about a teenage girl who had been picked on at school, but worse so on her FB. So much so that she killed herself.
That hit so close to home. Okay, now I get it...and it really is a huge deal.

The 8 teens are being charged as adults, though I am unsure to the actual charges yet, but it is clear they may spend the rest of their teen years in prison. The school may or may not be charged because they knew and did nothing.
(That's why it's now school business.)

Something that out of context could have really gotten carried away by officials. It could have resulted in jail time for my 13 yr old son. They are not playing...at least here they are not.

Watch your kids, talk to them about how to convey typed messages. Typed messages show no body language, no vocal emotion...nothing.

A typed message saying, "I'm gonna kick your butt!", that may be funny to both parties may be deemed bullying and threatening by FB and you childs school officials.